THE GEHRING LAB
Catherine Gehring, Ph.D.
Catherine “Kitty” Gehring is co-director of the Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes and the Lucking Family Professor, Department of Biological Sciences. Her research interests are plant-associated fungi and their influence on plant populations and communities and ecosystems in basic and applied contexts. She has authored or co-authored 116 peer-reviewed publications.
Research Interests:
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Fungal ecology, taxonomy and genetics
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Woodland and riparian restoration
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Ethnobotany/ethnomycology
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Ecological indicators as it relates to human health
Zsuzsi helps manage Dr. Gehring’s mycology lab where they work on various projects involving AMF, EMF, endophytes, and DSE in cottonwood, pinyon and other ecosystems. Her research interest includes using molecular and field techniques to identify endophyte and soil fungal community compositions for applied woodland and riparian restoration endeavors. She greatly enjoys working with and mentoring students, and being involved with interdisciplinary research efforts. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors on foot or bicycle.
Gillian Trimber
Gillian is a PhD student researching the role mycorrhizal fungi play in forest ecology and tree regeneration. She investigates interactions between fire, junipers, pinyon pines, grasses, and soil fungal communities with the goal of informing conservation and restoration efforts. Gillian comes to the lab with a background in horticulture, culinary mushroom cultivation, and community education. Her primary hobby is meandering through the woods while drinking coffee and admiring tiny mosses.
Bea Bock
Bea is a second-year PhD student co-advised by Dr. Kitty Gehring and Dr. Nancy Johnson. She studies plant-fungal interactions, focusing on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and is interested in fungal networks facilitating resource transfers among plants. In her free time, she loves the outdoors access in Flagstaff and enjoys trail running, hiking, mushroom hunting, and kayaking.
Shelby Byerly
Shelby is a PhD Candidate generally interested in pinyon-juniper woodland dynamics, modeling, and GIS. Her current focus is understanding the drivers of drought-induced juniper dieback and recovery. Shelby's hobbies include hiking with her dog, rock climbing, reading, and birding.
Current lab members with bios coming soon...
Ron Deckert - Researcher
Elena Schaefer - Researcher
Zeana Lopez - Undergraduate researcher
Melissa Vargas - Undergraduate researcher
Daniel Robiou - Undergraduate researcher
Former Lab Members
Coming soon...